[REL] Real Fleet Boat 2.0

[ElCid97]

Seems like a shot in the dark here, but could it be one of the changes in the various subs' "upc" files not noticed before?

I know you have to submerge the S-boats to hear anything, but the others are supposed to work as you said regardless of whether you're on the surface or not.

As Poirot would say, hope this helps the, "little gray cells" a little.

ElCid97

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

yeah, so, i made the leap from RFB 2.0 vanilla by adding RSRD V5.x.
lots of changes!
one of the bad changes is that i have lost the ability to use the hydrophone.
the sensor team uses it and calls out the contacts, etc, however when i go to the hydrophone station and click on the bearings, the hydrophone refuses to move. while this is not a catastrophic issue, it does impair my effectiveness.
any hints as to what may have changed and is now getting in the way?

maybe a better question to ask is this: which files, or parameters within a file, allow the user-player to manipulate the hydrophone to a specific bearing? is it a sensor file or a camera file or .....? if i knew the file name, then i can see what adding RSRDC did with that file and (hopefully) discover why i cannot use the hydrophone as i did with vanilla RFB.

+++++
after a bit more testing, i have determined that the change was NOT due to applying RSRDC but is part of RFB.
the hydrophone was usable with the S-boat i was driving but is NOT usable with the Balao. i made the upgrade co-incident with applying RSRDC so i blamed the new mod but that was an incorrect conclusion.
++++
more test results: in addition to the Balao, both the Gato and the Tampbar/Gar suffer from the same non-functionality of the hydrophone, but the Porpoise hydrophone functions just fine.


so, what is different about the hydrophone between the S-boat & Porpoise and the Tambor/Gar/Gato/Balao?
too many files were modified in RFB to eliminate them one at a time. i need a hint.


++++
Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157
[C:\Ubisoft\SH4_RFB\MODS]

1_RFB_2.0
2_RFB_2.0_Patch_23April2010
3_SMMO for RFB 2.0
4_RFB_2.0_Patch_06June2019
5_Stop The Shouting
6_OTC RFB 2.0
7_Increased binoculars for RFB OTC
8_RFB_LocNames
8_09_RSRDC_RFB_V575
805_U.S. Medals Fix II_RFBv1.52
81_Clean and Quiet Map
82_Webster's 300' Underwater Visability for v1.5
83_3000 Yard Bearing Tool (1920x)

The <Home> and <End> keys might do the rotation for you without any other fixes. But CapnScurvy did OTC Gato Sonar Bearing Fix and that should work with your mix. It specifies the Gato though, and I don't remember if that helps the others or not...

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by ElCid97

Seems like a shot in the dark here, but could it be one of the changes in the various subs' "upc" files not noticed before?

I know you have to submerge the S-boats to hear anything, but the others are supposed to work as you said regardless of whether you're on the surface or not.

As Poirot would say, hope this helps the, "little gray cells" a little.

ElCid97

thank you.
the little gray cells were working overtime for the past few days.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

more test results: in addition to the Balao, both the Gato and the Tampbar/Gar suffer from the same non-functionality of the hydrophone, but the Porpoise hydrophone functions just fine.


so, what is different about the hydrophone between the S-boat & Porpoise and the Tambor/Gar/Gato/Balao?

Originally Posted by propbeanie

The <Home> and <End> keys might do the rotation for you without any other fixes. But CapnScurvy did OTC Gato Sonar Bearing Fix and that should work with your mix. It specifies the Gato though, and I don't remember if that helps the others or not...

both of your suggestions worked.

when i opened the support file included in the fix named above, i had a pretty good feeling that it would be the solution: This will also allow mouse control for the sonar units in the Gar, Tambor, and Balao class subs.

i would have never found the problem as it is buried in the Interior folder.

i asked for a hint and got a solution.

thank you.

[KaleunMarco]

Career Start December 1941 in Manila driving an S-18 class boat.

Late in 1943, while we temporarily based at one of the Marshall Islands we received the choice of staying with the S-boat or upgrading to a different class.

Since this installation of RFB 2.0 with RSRDC 5.75 has all boats classed the same, we received a Balao because it was the next boat in the list in the Flotillas file. Funny how things go sometimes.

I am making a long story longer…..my apologies.

The Balao has two conning towers available, the second of which had a date conflict which had to be fixed, and we were eligible to receive it after July 31, 1944.

Unfortunately, it took until late November to actually get it.

In the interim we had taken some damage on each mission while at the same time having great success sinking ships such that each of our missions between July and November resulted in a patrol grade of 3.

During the November mission we took some damage (again) and this time we got the conning tower upgrade. My apologies for not sharing the screen as I clicked through without capturing it.

And so, it continues to play out in the US Pacific portion of SH4 that a conning tower upgrade requires multiple missions with damage incurred and a mission rating greater than 1. It seems, and I stress seems, to take fewer missions if the mission ratings or 1 or 2 rather than threes.

Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157
[C:\Ubisoft\SH4_RFB\MODS]

1_RFB_2.0
2_RFB_2.0_Patch_23April2010
3_SMMO for RFB 2.0
4_RFB_2.0_Patch_06June2019
5_Stop The Shouting
6_OTC RFB 2.0
61_OTC_Gato Sonar Bearing Fix
7_Increased binoculars for RFB OTC
8_09_RSRDC_RFB_V575
8_RFB_LocNames
805_U.S. Medals Fix II_RFBv1.52
81_Clean and Quiet Map
82_Webster's 300' Underwater Visability for v1.5
83_3000 Yard Bearing Tool (1920x)
9_RFB_Corrections

[chevyhd1986]

Hey gents, I'm looking to get into RFB coming over from FotRS mod. Its a great mod but I feel like there is a ton of targets. My question is what is a good mod soup to go along with RFB? Anything I should look into? I'm really big on realism and challenging patrols.

[fitzcarraldo]

Originally Posted by chevyhd1986

Hey gents, I'm looking to get into RFB coming over from FotRS mod. Its a great mod but I feel like there is a ton of targets. My question is what is a good mod soup to go along with RFB? Anything I should look into? I'm really big on realism and challenging patrols.

If you want the hard way, try TMO BH edition. So hard, so good.

And-my impression-FOTRSU (Ultimate), is a lot better than RFB "as it is".

Best regards.

Fitzcarraldo

[Treetop64]

Originally Posted by chevyhd1986

Hey gents, I'm looking to get into RFB coming over from FotRS mod. Its a great mod but I feel like there is a ton of targets. My question is what is a good mod soup to go along with RFB? Anything I should look into? I'm really big on realism and challenging patrols.

Played RFB for years, and I only just downloaded and started using FotRS a couple of weeks ago. And, if I'm being honest, I only did that so I could use the sub interior mod. If not for that I'm not sure I would have ever downloaded FotRS.

Anyway, My setup for RFB in order of activation:
1 - 100 RFB_2.0_with_Patch
2 - RSRD_RFB_v575
3 - RSRD_V5xx_Patch1
4 - Razzle Dazzle non TMO ver1
5 - New_Harbours_and_Late_War_Traffic_1.23

I keep my mod soups to a minimum. Install only what improves or enhances, and not stuff that changes something just for the sake of changing it.

The New Harbours, while interesting, in some cases could cause problems if you're not careful, because some of the friendly harbors get some underwater obstructions that can catch you out. Of course, if enemy obstructions stop you, well...
I used it with no problems, but YMMV.

I really like RFB. Some people complained vehemently but I though the difficulty was appropriate. Especially the faithful Mk14s performance (or the nearly total lack thereof) early in a war campaign. Mk14s going halfway through 1943 are almost entirely unreliable and it will drive you nuts. Also, you're not going to be able to use the transducers (the sonar "bulbs" under the hull) while cruising on the surface during patrol. The reality is that there was too much bow splash and water noise at 10 knot patrol speeds for the fleet boat's transducers to be of any use. In this regard IMO FotRS is too easy in this area, picking up sonar contacts over the horizon while at 10 knots on the surface in any sea state. The downside for RFB is that you must submerge to use the passive sonar at all, whether it's a fleet boat or pig boat.

One of the things that actually bothered me about RFB is that the metacenter physics modelled for some destroyers is really wonky. They unrealistically sway left and right like bathtub toys, even in glass-calm seas. Only some of RFB's DDs suffer this, the majority handled the seas like they normally would.

Another thing to note is that being an older mod, the ship models and textures aren't quite as numerous and don't look as good as they do in FotRS. Except the subs themselves, which have excellent textures. Actually better than those in FotRS, but more on that below.

Had to install a ton of additional mods on top of FotRS just to get it near a difficulty level I was used to in RFB. And the 4K Sub Skins addon is an absolute must have for FotRS. They make a world of difference. I hate to say it but the default sub textures in the mod are almost unbearable to look at, especially when you're standing on the bridge. The fore-mentioned sub interior mod is amazing, one of the most important mods ever developed for SH4.

[KaleunMarco]

Career Start December 1941 in Manila driving a Porpoise.

The Porpoise has four conning towers available, the second tower (first upgrade) is available January 1943.

It took two missions in early 1943 to actually get it.

 

on the two 1943 missions, we took damage, including hull damage, and attained a mission rating of two in each.

And so, it continues to play out in the US Pacific portion of SH4 that a conning tower upgrade requires multiple (consecutive?) missions with damage incurred and a mission rating greater than 1. It seems, and I stress seems, that a mission rating of three disqualifies the upgrade. Twos and ones seem to cause the upgrade.

[propbeanie]

So be certain and get depth-charged sufficiently to take damage, eh?...

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

So be certain and get depth-charged sufficiently to take damage, eh?...

exactly.

but not too much damage, else you will visiting Davy Jones as opposed to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

exactly.

but not too much damage, else you will visiting Davy Jones as opposed to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

p.s. i wonder if there is a way to cause damage without jeopardizing the success if the mission.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

Career Start December 1941 in Manila driving a Porpoise.

The Porpoise has four conning towers available, the second tower (first upgrade) is available January 1943.

It took two missions in early 1943 to actually get it.

 

on the two 1943 missions, we took damage, including hull damage, and attained a mission rating of two in each.

And so, it continues to play out in the US Pacific portion of SH4 that a conning tower upgrade requires multiple (consecutive?) missions with damage incurred and a mission rating greater than 0. It seems, and I stress seems, that a mission rating of three disqualifies the upgrade. Twos and ones seem to cause the upgrade.

dang it all, blast it....
we finally get access to the half-cut conning tower and now the SJ radar won't power up.
we had a working SJ set with the old/original conning tower.

 

+++
i searched the archives and found some ancient posts (2007-2010) with CapnScurvy discussing date conflict difficulties (June 31, that old chestnut) but those issues have been resolved in my installation.

so, what other issues cause a recently added SJ radar during a conning tower refit to not power up?

[propbeanie]

Radar mast type... ie: Supported versus unsupported. Some conning towers have slots for the mast to ship through, while others do not, so some radar masts are "smooth" (unsupported), and some have hardware "framing" supports to hold it to the conning tower.



Look at your radar mast install, and see if your conn doesn't have supports for the "smooth" style radar masts, as seen 3rd & 4th from right above, and you might not have the 1st or 2nd radar mast on the right instead... maybe the 5th or 6th... ?? The conns are a mess in the Stock game, and were not fixed in RFB, or most other mods...

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Radar mast type... ie: Supported versus unsupported. Some conning towers have slots for the mast to ship through, while others do not, so some radar masts are "smooth" (unsupported), and some have hardware "framing" supports to hold it to the conning tower.

 

Look at your radar mast install, and see if your conn doesn't have supports for the "smooth" style radar masts, as seen 3rd & 4th from right above, and you might not have the 1st or 2nd radar mast on the right instead... maybe the 5th or 6th... ?? The conns are a mess in the Stock game, and were not fixed in RFB, or most other mods...

firstly, how can i translate the UPC text to the Sensors_sub_US.dat? i ask because you lost me in the explanation above but clearly there must be connection between the UPC-text and the binary-dot-DAT

secondly, prior to firstly, your questions made me stop and think: i had SJ radar before the upgrade and lost it with the upgrade. the UnitParts file does not have any radar equipment so the upgrade has to come from the UpgradePacks.UPC file.
here is related section from UpgradePacks, however i do not know how to parse the last line.

 

[UpgradePack 18]
ID= UpackSJRadarPorpoise
NameDisplayable= SJ Surface Search Radar
Info=SJRadarInfo
Notes=SJRadarNotes
FunctionalType= UpFTypeSensorRadar
UpgradePackSlotType= SurfaceRadarPorpoise
Type=NULL
;UpgradePackInterval=1942-06-01, 1943-09-01
UnitUpgradePackIntervalOptionCurrent= 1942-06-01, 1942-10-31, 0
UnitUpgradePackIntervalOptions1=1942-06-01, 1942-10-31, 0
UnitUpgradePackIntervalOptions2=1942-11-01, 1942-12-31, 0
UnitUpgradePackIntervalOptions3=1943-01-01, 1944-06-18, 0
IDLinkUpgradePackElements= SJRadarApp, NULL, SJRadarAntennaEarlyPorpoise, SJRadarAntennaEarlyPorpoise2

then i compared the antenna section after the upgrade with the antenna section before the upgrade and i discovered that the upgrade neglected to add a piece of equipment, namely the actual antenna mast.

 

not sure where to go because i do not know where i am.